Policy Briefs

The North American Research Partnership begins a new series of policy briefs that will examine a variety of issues facing North America. The briefs are meant to give useful background on international relations and public policy topics currently under discussion and offer a mix of policy findings, considerations and/or recommendations.

The United States’ and Mexico’s geographic proximity and 2,000 mile border have historically enabled a variety of post-secondary educational exchange. The absolute numbers for total postsecondary academic exchange are notably small for large, neighboring nations with such important global presence, powerful economies and sizable postsecondary education systems. Both governments are currently seeking to address these shortcomings as part of an overall shift in the bilateral agenda. The U.S. federal governments’ 100,000 Strong in the Americas program and the Mexican federal governments’ Proyecta 100 000 are examples of this policy direction. However, the numerous actors involved (governments, universities, the private sector) have to move beyond “business as usual” to truly create a large-scale, mutually beneficial impact in both nations. Download the policy brief here.

As is the case with the U.S. and Mexico, the U.S. and Canada have long had a cross-border flow of post-secondary students and educators. However, important initiatives are currently underway in Canada and the U.S. to recruit and retain international scholars. Due to the expansion of post-secondary education programs and the demands of a globalized economy, Canada and the U.S. share a growing interest in cross-border academic initiatives, such as international student enrollment and outreach to professionals in the field of education. According to a 2013 report by World Education Services, the enrollment of international undergraduate students in the U.S. and Canada has grown by 40 to 50 percent in the past decade. Download the policy brief here.